The Great Lakes include Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario and form the largest body of fresh water in the world. Michigan is nicknamed the Great Lake State because it’s shores touch all of the Great Lakes except Lake Ontario and is home to more than 11,000 inland lakes. Standing anywhere in the state, a person is within in 85 miles of one of the Great Lakes. I was born and raised in Michigan so it holds special place in my heart. It is often thought of for the big three auto manufactures and for being cold. But I am here to tell you that all the lakes and the woodlands make for some incredible exploring. Special shout out to my parents who took us “up north” often and let us get dirty.

Designer, Birgit Keil

Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America. Each summer night at dusk, more than 1.5 million bats emerge from the underbelly of the bridge for food runs producing an amazing river of bats in the sky.
Designer, Jen Hardina

Austin’s official motto is the “Live Music Capital of the World”. The city has a vibrant live music scene with more music venues per capital than any other US city. Austin is also home to two well known music festivals. In the spring, Austin hosts South by Southwest (SXSW), a music, film, and interactive festival. In the fall, the city comes alive with the Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival, a 3-day festival which brings together more than 130 acts from all over the world.

If there is one thing Austinites love besides music, it is their dogs. One of my favorite Austin spots is Lady Bird Lake, which offers miles of hiking and biking trails for man and man’s best friend. The trails also offer incredible views of the lake and Austin skyline.
Designer, Jen Hardina

The Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson’s 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass, and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous. Nast also invented the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in Harper’s Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion’s skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant was labeled “The Republican Vote”. That’s all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party.

Designer, Ben Pierce

The Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson’s 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass, and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous. Nast also invented the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in Harper’s Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion’s skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant was labeled “The Republican Vote”. That’s all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party.

Designer, Ben Pierce

George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental army during the American Revolution and first President of the United States. This shirt also serves as a tribute to the Mount Vernon Trail, which is located just across the river from downtown Washington DC. The multi-use trail is nearly 18 miles long and follows the Potomac’s Virginia shoreline from Theodore Roosevelt Island to George Washington’s Estate located at Mount Vernon. This trail was actually where the idea for PassingLEFT was born.

Designer, Ben Pierce